Primary election voting only opportunity in some locally contested races

By Ethan Nahté

Don’t wait for the November general election to cast your vote. Some locally contested races will be the only opportunity voters will have in 2022. Due to the candidates in the Polk County Clerk race and the Justice of the Peace, District 4 race all being Republican, the May primary election will be voters’ only opportunity to vote for (in alphabetical order) either Tammie Minton or Lisa Standridge in the county clerk race; either Steve Bell or James P. Looney in the JP, District 4 race.

Polk County Clerk Terri Harrison said, “There will be a winner for each of those in the primary election. There’s nobody else to run in the November election.”

Harrison is approaching her 29-year anniversary working for Polk County. She worked for the county seven years before becoming the Polk County clerk. She has held that office for 22 years. She believes it’s always important for people to get out and vote. For the upcoming election she said, “In this primary, you are electing two local people that are going to be working for your county. This is the only chance you get to have a say in who does that.”

Due to a decline in population during the 2020 census, Polk County had a loss of two districts. Merging 11 districts to nine has forced restructuring, which affected everyone, voters and politicians alike, including District 4.

“Margo Kimp was in that district, and she has decided to not run again,” Harrison said.

Early voting will begin Monday, May 9. (See sidebar for more voting details.)

The county clerk position has many facets, including maintaining call county records, working closely with the various aspects related to voting and voters, candidates, and administering elections. This may be Harrison’s last Election Day to officially work an election, a job she clearly loves. “I’ve enjoyed it. It’s been fun and the people have been so good to me. I just appreciate the people of Polk County because they’ve placed their trust in me and they’ve let me do this all these years. It hasn’t really felt like a job because I’ve enjoyed coming and doing it.”

Where to Vote

Early voting begins at Vote Center No.1, Monday, May 9, and continues through Monday, May 23. Hours for early voting will be Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Early voting will end at 5 p.m. on Monday, May 23. On Election Day, May 24 each voting center will be open from 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

Voting centers for Polk County, Arkansas in the 2022 primary election:

• Vote Center No. 1 

Election Day and Early Vote Site 

Dequeen Street Armory 

601 Dequeen Street 

Mena, AR 71953 

• Vote Center No. 2 

(Election Day Only) 

First Baptist Fellowship Hall 

811 Port Arthur (8th Street Side) 

Mena, AR 71953 

• Vote Center No. 3 

(Election Day Only) 

American Legion Building 

3253 Hwy 71 N. 

Mena, AR 71953 

• Vote Center No. 4 

(Election Day Only) 

Concord Baptist Church 

3467 Hwy 88 E. 

Mena, AR 71953 

• Vote Center No. 5 

(Election Day Only) 

Salem Baptist Church 

115 Polk Road 56 

Mena, AR 71953

• Vote Center No. 6 

(Election Day Only) 

Hatfield Auditorium 

117 Cemetery Road 

Hatfield, AR 71945 

• Vote Center No. 7 

(Election Day Only) 

Cove Town Hall 

5568 Hwy 71 S. 

Cove, AR 71937 

• Vote Center No. 8 

(Election Day Only) 

Wickes Community Center 

136 Stevenson Dr. 

Wickes, AR 71973 

• Vote Center No. 9 

(Election Day Only) 

Grannis Town Hall 

132 Frachiseur Road 

Grannis, AR 71944

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